Long Range Chances

[psteinmayer]

For what it's worth, my 1903A3 is a Remington with a two-groove barrel, and it's a tack driver at 200 yards. I don't have access to a 1000 yard range to try different loads at, so I'm going to have to do some homework, and try loads at 100 yards to see how they group, and hopefully I can translate the results to 1000 yards.

I looked at the ELD Match bullets too. Hornady says that the ELDs are the next generation Match technology. Perhaps I'll try both ELD and A-Max.

[psteinmayer]

Ok, I've received some 178 gr A-Max bullets from a good friend. I've settled on H4831. I've consulted several charts and manuals, and I think 60.0 grains of H4831 should keep the pressures relatively low while still giving me approximately 2700 FPS. It will be a compressed load. IMR-4350 should give a higher velocity... but also higher pressures, so I'm going to stick with the 4831. I'll be using Lake City brass and CCI #34 primers too.

How does this all sound?

[Capt. Frank]

I would sneak up on 2700, I loaded some 168 gr. loads to 2700 with IMR 4895 and the primers showed excess pressure.

[psteinmayer]

The only problem with working up is I don't have a chrono. I'm going off established load manual charts. I really wish I had a chrono, and the time to do a work up, but with my work and family commitments... in addition to my lack of additional funding means I have to trust manuals and the advice of people here at KCA.

Again... any help you all can give would be greatly appreciated!

[madsenshooter]

I think with H4831 you'll run into about the same as I did in my Krag when I compared it to RL19 and the boosted WC860 using 150gr FMJBTs. Even with the longer Krag barrel, it really didn't get up to pressure and gave me a lower velocity as compared to the other two. Didn't group as good either. I used the #34 primer in all the loads. That was the SC also.

[Capt. Frank]

A very knowledgeable F class shooter told me yesterday, that the ELD bullets are extremely good, but seating depth is critical, affecting accuracy, find the sweet spot and they will make one hole in your target. I have only used them in a Swiss Mauser 6.5x55, so far, but am getting 1/2 minute results.

[madsenshooter]

Looking at the ELD on Hornady's website. It appears they've gone to a form that is less of a secant ogive bullet than what Hornady bullets normally are. I've been doing some comparision across different calibers, secant ogive vs tangent. Secant ogive bullets appear to me to more accurate. It also seems to me they group higher and to the left of the POI of tangent ogive bullets of the same or similar weight, with similar loads. Oddly, the Sierra Tipped Matchkings in 30 caliber are now more of a secant ogive design. My K31 loves the 168gr seated to just touch the rifling, but it's the only 30 caliber I have wherein it will do that.

[psteinmayer]

Fortunately, since the long range matches are slow-fire (single shot) only... I won't have to worry about working through the magazine. Therefore, I can seat the bullets out a little to engage the rifling.

[Capt. Frank]

I just talked to a very knowledgeable F class competitor, he said the ELD match bullets have given him excellent results, but seating depth is critical.

[psteinmayer]

I just talked to a very knowledgeable F class competitor, he said the ELD match bullets have given him excellent results, but seating depth is critical.

Did he happen to say what his OAL is? I could use that as a jumping off point.